Even if you have preventive maintenance performed on your air conditioner every year, you might be wondering if there’s anything else you can do to keep your unit running smoothly throughout the cooling season. That’s why we put together these air conditioner maintenance tips to help homeowners keep their cooling systems in the best shape possible.
4 DIY Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips
- Clean or change your air filter monthly. As a homeowner, your number one responsibility for maintaining the condition and efficiency of your air conditioner is cleaning or changing your air filter. A dirty air filter can raise energy consumption by 5-15 percent and cause damage to your unit. Depending on the type of filter you’re using, you should either clean or change it once a month.
- Change your thermostat batteries. If you have a digital thermostat, you’ll want to change out its batteries about once a year. This is a simple task but it’s very important because if your thermostat has no power, your air conditioner will not turn on.
- Keep your condenser unit clean. Because your condenser unit is located outside, it is susceptible to all of the dirt and debris that surround it. Periodically check your condenser unit and remove any visible debris that has built up around the unit. If you notice that dirt has built up excessively on your condenser, you can also buy a commercial coil and fin cleaner to clean it off.
- Allow for proper airflow to your condenser unit. For your condenser unit to run efficiently, it must be able to freely draw in outside air. If grass or weeds have grown near your unit, or if the fins have bent, the airflow to your unit will be restricted. To prevent this, cut away any plants or foliage that have grown within two feet of your unit. You can also buy a fin comb to straighten out the fins on your condenser.
If you have any questions about these air conditioner maintenance tips, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact [company_name], your St. Louis area heating and cooling company.